


Shooting Star

by Sinnamon_Troll



Series: Fox hunting and star gazing [2]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Character Death, F/F, F/M, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-04
Updated: 2020-06-15
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:02:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23480647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sinnamon_Troll/pseuds/Sinnamon_Troll
Summary: All a shooting star is is an ordinary rock given one last, brilliant moment to shine before fading away forever.Sequel to Holloa.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Luka Couffaine, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Luka Couffaine/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Marc Anciel/Nathaniel Kurtzberg
Series: Fox hunting and star gazing [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1689232
Comments: 40
Kudos: 62





	1. Chapter one

**Author's Note:**

> So this took a while because I'm lazy. That is literally it I have no other excuse. Please enjoy because I only vaguely know what I am doing here.
> 
> The stars you see at night potentially burned out millions of years ago.

Lila Rossi left the Dupeng Cheng bakery feeling pretty clever. Her pocket was weighted with the butterfly charm she had stolen from Marinette’s room. She patted her pocket, feeling certain she could get a good amount of cash for it from the pawn shop she prefered. Different products danced in her mind as she thought about what to buy with her dirty money. Some new boots, perhaps? The season was changing, spring right around the corner. 

Yes, she decided, a pair of stylish new boots would be the perfect treat for herself after all the awful trials she had had to endure these past few mon-

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“ Tiki I just don’t understand that girl!” Marinette huffed in frustration, dropping solidly into her desk chair. “Why in the world would she come here to try to apologize of all things, and expect me to believe her, after everything she has done!” The red kawmi sat on the desk with a thoughtful expression.

“I don’t know Marinette. Lila always seems to have another angle. Are you sure that was all she was here for?” Marinette’s eyes widened at the kwami’s observation. Taking a quick look around her room, she didn’t see anything out of place. Her booby trapped diary box was untouched, none of her clothes looked disturbed, the miracle box on her desk was-

SCREEECH CRUNCH!

“What the?!” Marinette jumped at the sound. 

“That came from outside!” Tiki gasped in alarm.

“An akuma?” The black haired girl asked.

“Only one way to find out.” Tiki replied. Marinette raced to the ladder that led to her rooftop balcony. She leaned over the railing, taking in the shouting people below.

It wasn’t an akuma attack.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“...Wolfram Berger stands trial today for attempted vehicular manslaughter against Lila Rossi, better known to some as Volpina, three months ago. Ms. Rossi remains in a coma in an undisclosed hospital. Ladybug and Chatnoir are standing as witnesses today against Mr. Berger’s chronic harassment of Ms. Rossi as well as two of her classmates, Nathaniel Kurtzberg and Marc Anciel, who will also be testifying today-”

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ladybug punched the brick chimney hard enough to leave an imprint of her fist. The trial earlier today had ended with the jury declaring Mr. Berger not guilty. The defense had argued that Mr. Berger had simply lost control of his car and that the fact that Lila had been the victim was merely a coincidence. Chat Noir and Paon were off the side with troubled looks of their own.

“I can’t believe that jury! Four weeks of community service? Not guilty? That awful man could have killed Lila! I might not be her biggest fan but…” Ladybug trailed off with a frustrated growl. 

“The court system is not as straightforward as tv likes to make it dear.” Paon sighed. “If Miss Rossi had actually died the verdict may have been more severe, but she is still alive if only through life support.” The peacock hero rubbed her arms, unhappy with the verdict.

“I don’t know.” Chat noir added, “Berger has a lot of followers. I wouldn’t be surprised if some of them managed to sneak onto the jury. I noticed quite a few of them giving Marc and Nathaniel the stink eye, not to mention us.” 

One would think that Hawkmoth being gone for nearly six months now would weaken the Office of Akuma Affairs anti-akuma and anti-hero platforms. The lack of new material didn’t phase the group who were happy to make up new situations to blame on the heroes or skew old ones. Paon especially came under fire often due to Mayura’s past actions, being an easy target due to her public identity. People were unable or unwilling to separate her from her temporary replacement. Being Hawkmoth’s wife hardly helped either. 

“I hate to say it Ladybug, but we have bigger concerns than Mr. Berger walking free. It has been three months and we still haven't found the butterfly miraculous.” Paon gently reminded the steaming hero. Their group, which extended beyond the three on the rooftop, had searched Lila’s belongings and home extensively with no luck. Ladybug had been certain the girl had taken the miraculous having been alone in her room just a day before the jewel had been discovered missing, but it was starting to look like that may not be the case. Lila had been hit with Berger’s car as soon as she left the bakery. The girl would have had no time to hide the miraculous anywhere. Similar searches of Berger’s home and possessions had also been fruitless. The current running theory was one of the many bystanders that day had picked up the broach. The lack of new akumas suggested whomever had discovered it had not been compatible, kwami didn’t show themselves to just anyone, but it was only a matter of time before someone compatible did come along. The miraculous were magic like that, inevitably gravitating towards wielders.

Ladybug groaned. “Yeah, anti-hero sentiment is higher than it has ever been. You would think people would be happy for peace, not calling us useless because we can’t stop every mugging and petty crime.”

“Almost makes you wish Hawkmoth was back.” Chat Noir chuckled. Distantly, an explosion boomed. “uhhh…” The black cat hesitated.

“Let’s move!” Paon commanded, already racing across the rooftops.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Please tell me that is not an akuma. Chaton, if that is an akuma I will  _ personally  _ make your life miserable for the next week.” Ladybug threatened.

“If that’s an akuma, I don’t think you’ll have to work too hard to accomplish that.” Chatnoir gulped, taking in the scene. A girl in a multi colored dress was frolicing in the street below, watering people she managed to catch with a watering pail. People who came into contact with water from the pail began to sprout flowers all over their body, older victims looking to have become plants entirely.

“ _ If  _ that is an akuma, the akuma is likely in the watering can.” Paon commented. “She doesn’t look too dangerous.” The peacock wielder leapt to street level without further ado to confront the akuma.

“Paon wait-dammit.” Ladybug muttered. Paon had become active after Hawkmoth had already been defeated. Despite being the eldest hero, she had never actually faced an akuma before and was making a rookie mistake. Akuma were never as simple as they looked. Ladybug exchanged looks with Chatnoir. She could see he was conflicted. Instinct was telling him to leap to his mother’s side and support her. Training was reminding him that hanging back and watching was the wiser choice.

“Go to her Chat, I’ll hang back to watch for tricks.” Chatnoir nodded and joined Paon, who was trying to knock the watering can from the akuma’s hands with her knives. The akuma laughed as she batted the knives away like pesky flies.

“You showed up! Goody! Let me take care of you!” The akuma chirped, gleefully dancing closer to Paon. “Everything will be so much easier once you’re a plant! You’ll be happier!” 

“I like sunlight as much as the next cat, but I’m not too crazy about water.” Chatnoir quipped, using his baton to try and trip the akuma. The action was in vain. Even the combined efforts of Paon and Chanoir were not enough to make the akuma’s ballerina like grace falter. Further from the battle, Ladybug approached one of the flower covered victims.

“Hold on, I’ll get you out!” The man did not respond at first, his eyes glazed and listless. When Ladybug began to try and tear the vines from his body, he began to scream in pain. Shocked, the heroine recoiled. 

“HEY!” The akuma screamed. “Don’t hurt my plants you naughty bug!” The akuma darted towards Ladybug, free hand outstretched. Jumping backwards, Ladybug felt a small trill of alarm as the movement felt sluggish. Moments before the akuma could pour water on her, Chatnoir kicked her away.

“You okay Ladybug?” 

“Be careful, Chat, Paon, I think the plants are giving off some sort of sedative.” Ladybug winced, holding her head. “Harming the plants seems to also harm the host, don’t touch anyone.”

“Good little bugs should HELP plants!” The akuma fumed. “Bad bugs will be pruned away by the Gardener.” The akuma attacked with a flurry of graceful kicks and wide sprays of her water. Ladybug and Chatnoir put up their shields to deflect the water, while Paon hung back and attacked from range with her knives.

“We need to pull back, one touch of that water and it’s game over!” Chatnoir said after a particularly close call.

“We need some way to prevent her from pouring water.” Ladybug added, movements slower than she would have liked. Gardener’s supply of water seemed infinite, and dodging the growing puddles around them was becoming harder.

“If only we could find someone unaffected by her powers, I could create a senti-monster. Where are all the civilians? This is a busy street…” Paon groused.

“Parisians are pretty good at getting out of spitting range of these fights by now. The police have probably set up barricades to prevent people from coming this way.” 

“It might be time for a Lucky Charm!” Cried out Ladybug, her yoyo toss taking more effort than it should have due to her lingering sluggishness. A chromatic pocket knife fell into her hands. The hilt was ladybug spotted, but the blade simmered in rainbow colors.

“Looks like it’s time to cut ties with the Gardener.” Chatnoir quipped, using his baton to catapult a nearby trash can at the Gardener. Ladybug huffed at the pun as her eyes darted around the area trying to come up with a plan. Other than the Gardener’s watering pail, nothing else stood out to her. Nothing except...Paon. Ladybug cast an eye around the plant strewn street again. A few of the plants still had twitching human limbs sticking out of them. Perhaps someone still had enough consciousness to produce a sentimonster...the Lucky Charm was never wrong. She had to trust it.

“Paon! Are you  _ sure _ you can’t feel any strong desires?” The street was getting pretty flooded, the heroes had taken to jumping from cartop, to street stall top, to try and avoid the water. On one hand, it kept them dry. On the other this severely limited their maneuverability. Paon closed her eyes and concentrated.

“There is...one...but I’ll need a moment to focus!” The peacock hero threw another of her feather-knives at the akuma, only for it to clatter uselessly onto the street as the agile girl danced and twirled away.

“Right, let’s give Paon some breathing room kitty. Hit the street!”

“You got it Ladybug. Cataclysm!” Dark energy crackled across the flooded street, causing it to heave and crumble in on itself. Chunks of the asphalt shuddered as their supports eroded, falling into the sewers below. The Gardener stumbled, all of her attention diverted to staying on her feet during the mini earthquake. 

Meanwhile, Paon whispered to the blue feather in her hand before sending it on its journey with a blown kiss. The feather didn’t go as far as Ladybug thought it would, fluttering down to land on a twisted pile of flowers and thorns. An image bubbled and coalesced into reality, settling into the kneeling figure of…

“ _ Penknight?! _ ”


	2. Chapter two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Character death in this one

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Blue supergiants are the hottest stars in the universe, some exceeding 20,000 Kelvin. Our sun is only approximately 6,000 kelvin.

To say that his nerves were going haywire would be an understatement. Marc felt like he had spent the entire day half a breath away from a panic attack. Then he had one at the worst possible time. After the intense stress of giving testimony in court in front of dozens of cameras, the accusing, disgusted stares of the crowd as Nathaniel held his hand were too much. The two had left as soon as they were allowed to without even hearing the verdict. Bless his sweet boyfriend for supporting him through this. He knew Nathaniel had to be just as nerve wracked as he was, but the other boy somehow managed to keep a level head during this whole mess.

Then the akuma attacked.

Marc felt like someone had dropped a ten ton stone on his chest. He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t move. He felt like his entire world narrowed to focus on the brightly colored akuma. Her greens were vibrant, blues dripping with malice, her orange... _Volpina_. In that instant, Marc was back in that condemned apartment all alone, fighting for his life against a snarling monster wearing a fox’s skin. Vaguely, as if from far away, he felt Nathaniel trying to pull him along. Trying to shield him when the akuma came after them. Felt his arms wrap around him as vines encased them both. 

Darkness engulfed him as the plants took root in his skin, stealing his sight. Hot tears of regret rolled down his face as Marc thought about how Nathaniel could have gotten away if the other boy had just _left_ him. Inwardly Marc knew that the red head would never do that. Even in the darkness, consciousness slipping away, he could feel Nathaniel’s arms around him. Warm and safe. His brave knight…

“My Treasure. Don’t cry, I’ve got you now.” A familiar voice whispered softly in his ear. One he hadn’t heard except in his dreams for so long now. Something was gently stroking his face as his vision came back. Purple, red, and ocean blue sharpened into focus.

“Penknight?” Marc breathed, not believing what he was seeing. “Am I dreaming?”

“No, I’m really here.” The akuma chuckled. “You see me in your dreams?” He smiled. Marc’s heart sank and grew at the same time. It was a weird feeling.

“Oh no, how did you get akumatized?” Marc asked, reaching a hand up to gently cup Penknight’s face from where he was laying in his arms. Penknight nuzzled his palm with a kiss and sighed.

“Nathaniel didn’t get akumatized.” Marc blinked as Penknight helped him sit up. Looking around he saw Paon crouched near them, helping Nathaniel to his feet. The red head looked just as confused as he felt. 

“He’s a Sentimonster I made. Ladybug and Chatnoir went to recharge their Miraculous, but they will be back. He refused to leave you.” Paon looked troubled. “He’s so...human like.” She said to herself. 

“Well, other than being purple.” A girl Marc didn’t know chuckled nervously. “Are...are you okay? I’m… I’m sorry about what I put you through…” The brunette looked down, shame faced. Her work-worn hands twisted nervously in her overalls. A lightbulb went off in Marc’s head. 

“You were the akuma.” 

“I...yes. I’m sorry…” She whispered.

“Don’t be. Happens to the best of us.” Nathaniel told her, giving Penknight an uncertain glance before laying a hand on Marc’s free arm. Other people in the street looked on curiously as they recovered from their post-miraculous cure daze. 

“HOW did it even happen though? I thought Hawkmoth was gone forever, but today when those nasty neighborhood boys smashed my grandmother’s potted roses I heard her and-” The girl rambled, looking stressed.

“Did I hear you say _her_?” Ladybug asked as she swung down next to them from the rooftop, Chatnoir right behind her.

“Ladybug!” The girl exclaimed. “Yes! I know Hawkmoth was a man, but this was definitely a woman’s voice.” 

“A woman?” Chatnoir pondered, exchanging a meaningful glance with Ladybug and Paon.

“No, it can’t be her. We checked! Several times…” Ladybug hissed, running her hands through her hair. Marc wasn’t entirely sure what was going on, but with Penknight on one side and Nathaniel on the other (eyeing each other like two stray dogs meeting for the first time trying to decide if one was friend or foe) the green eyed boy had some questions for the heroine that couldn’t wait.

“Ladybug-” He began.

“ **_Ladybug._ **”

Suddenly, holographic screens fizzled into existence in various places along the street, and in the distance. Featured on them was a bust shot of a woman in a flowing purple gown, a butterfly themed masquerade mask adoring her face. Silver hair spilled like a mountain brook made of starlight down her shoulders. Shimmering trails that almost looked like tears ran from under her mask, but her face was calm.

“ **_Having lost contact with Gardener, I can only assume she has been struck down by you. My thanks go out to her for her service. She served her purpose as a distraction. This means that you, Ladybug and Chatnoir, will be on the streets of Paris to witness this broadcast. Paris, I...am Hawkmoth.”_ ** The street was deadly quiet as the woman made her address. All eyes were glued to the screen, waiting with bated breath for the ethereal woman’s next words. 

“ **_I am told combining the Ladybug and Black Cat miraculous will grant a wish, any wish, to the one who does so. I have a wish, Ladybug. A very dear one. You took EVERYTHING from me, and until I get it back, I will take everything from you.”_ ** The woman stepped aside to reveal Gabriel Agreste and Nathalie Sancouer kneeling, chained, in their prison uniforms. Marc heard Paon and Chatnoir both hiss with surprise. They were not the only ones. The street broke out into hesitant whispers. 

“You will not get away with this.” Gabriel glared at the new Hawkmoth. “Ladybug stopped me, and she will stop you.” Hawkmoth did not reply. She only raised her cane staff, and pulled at the top to reveal the sword hidden inside. Her face impassive, she swung the sword in one swift, clean arc. Gabriel and Nathalie’s heads fell out of frame onto the floor, their bodies following soon after. Paon screamed and fell to her knees, Chatnoir trying to support her, face white as a sheet and trembling. Ladybug didn’t look much better. Hawkmoth faced the camera one last time.

“ **_Everything_ **.”

The screen went dark.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The street erupted in chaos as the screens blinked out of existence, people screaming and clamoring to the backdrop of Paon’s broken sobbing. Nathaniel’s heart went out to Mrs. Agreste. He couldn’t even begin to imagine how she must be feeling right now. Almost unconsciously, he went to put his arm around Marc’s shoulders, only to find Penknight’s arm already there. Nathaniel blinked at him. Penknighted slowly blinked back, as if in challenge. Nathaniel felt the hair on the back of his neck rise with some emotion he couldn’t quite pin down. When Marc leaned into Penknight’s chest and the akuma (sentimonster, Nathaniel reminded himself) smirked smugly at the other red head, that vague feeling solidified into a territorial surge. Ladybug frantically breathing into her hands out of the corner of his eye in an attempt to calm down reminded him that maybe right now was not the best time to be fighting over his lover with what was essentially himself. 

“We need to get them off the street.” He said to Penknight. The sentimonster narrowed his eyes slightly, but Nathaniel raised his eyebrows meaningfully and the knight sighed. 

“...Come on.” He grumbled, gently removing his arms from Marc to pick up the sobbing Paon. He kicked Chat Noir’s foot with his own. “You too, Catnerd. Grab your Lady and let’s get out of public.” Ashen, as though in shock, Chatnoir nodded woodenly and took Ladybug by the arm. 

“You know where to go.” Penknight told Marc and Nathaniel before jumping to the rooftops with Ladybug and Chatnoir. Nathaniel took Marc’s hand in his, silent for a moment, before saying;

“I actually have no idea where to go.” 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The moment the broadcast, seen all over Paris, ended Chloe Bourgeois was already halfway to the valet lot screaming into her phone for her driver to bring the car around NOW. Fifteen minutes later she was throwing open the doors to the Agreste mansion to find Adrien and Marinette seated on the couch in the foyer, their kwami hovering around them. Marinette was stroking the blonde’s hair as he stared off into space.

“ _Adrikins._ ” Chloe murmured, heart wrenching for her oldest friend. Marinette glanced up at her with hollow eyes, but didn’t stop her approach. Sitting on Adrien’s other side, she gently lay a hand on his back. This seemed to startle him out of his trance. 

“Chloe?” Adrien asked, voice raspy. 

“I came as soon as I saw.” Chloe squeezed his hand when he half lifted it in her direction. 

“You saw?” Marinette asked.

“I’m pretty sure all of Paris did. Those screens were everywhere.” Which likely meant an akuma was on the loose somewhere.

“ He’s gone.” Adrien said numbly, staring not at Chloe but through her. “He’s- I mean, he’s been gone for months, but that was just _away_ . This is _gone._ ” The blonde girl was starting to get worried about his mental state.

“The miraculous cure?” She asked Marinette. The other girl closed her eyes, tears slipping out. “I tried. This...incident...wasn’t akuma damage. We haven’t heard from the prison, but I don’t think it worked. The Ladybugs didn’t go anywhere when I cast it.” The half chinese girl said, trying to keep her breathing even. Chloe closed her eyes for a moment to collect herself. 

“Emilie?” She asked.

“Sleeping it off. Dusu and Samson are watching over her.” Chloe did a double take. Coming down the stairs was the fashion challenged akuma that Kurtzberg turned into. 

“What the fuck are you doing here?” She eloquently questioned. 

“What the fuck are YOU doing here?” The maybe akuma sniped back, before dismissing her with an impatient look at the doors. “Where are they?” he grumbled to himself.

“You-” Chloe started, before Marinette cut her off.

“Penknight is...complicated to explain. As usual.” She sighed to herself. “Right now we need to focus on Adrien and Emilie.” 

“Yeah. Kitten could probably use a nap himself right about now. He’s...not processing this well.” Plagg said in a concerned voice from where he was laying on Adrien’s head, stroking his hair. A pang of longing flashed through Chloe as she thought of Pollen before she squashed it down. Her friend needed her right now. 

“Let’s get him into bed then.” She said, helping Marinette guide Adrien to his feet. The boy was still staring into the distance like a zombie, occasionally mumbling to himself too low for Chloe to understand. 

“Great. You guys do that. I’m going back to Marc, since that other idiot obviously can’t handle the simple task of bringing him to me.” Penknight grumbled, heading for the doors. 

“Penknight.” Marinette said sharply in what Chloe liked to think of as her Ladybug voice. “You need to stay here until we figure out what is going on.” The akuma paused long enough to give her a sneer.

“I don’t take orders from you.” He said, before purposefully stomping out the front door. 

“Oh my god that…” Marinette gave a frustrated hiss. “I do NOT have time to babysit him right now!” She growled.

“Penknight is a wild card Marinette. We can’t just let him wander around by himself.” Tiki said, glancing with a worried look between Adrien and the door Penknight had left through. Chloe sighed.

“Go after him Marinette. Plagg and I will take care of Adrien. He’ll understand why you had to leave. Maybe call that walking second hand store the two of you are dating if you’re worried about him.” Chloe tried to keep her voice light and airy to reassure Marinette, who had become a surprisingly good friend over the months since Hawkmoth’s defeat, but she could tell the other girl was seeing right through her. Marinette closed her eyes for a moment to gather strength before passing a comatose Adrien off to her. 

“If ANYTHING happens Plagg, tell her where the miracle box is. I know there’s at least one more akuma still out there.” Marinette instructed him. 

“You got it baby bug. Really hope there isn’t though.” 

“Me either Plagg. Me either.” 

\----------------------------------

So I can't seem to put pictures in the notes, but this is the look Penknight gives Nathaniel when Marc chooses him to hug:


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Penknight is going to see his boyfriend, and he's not taking no for an answer.
> 
> Most stars exist in clusters, or at least binary pairs. Our sun is a rare single star. It is because of this life is able to exist in our solar system, but how lonely the sun must be.

Nathaniel wondered when the exact point his life got so weird was. The answer, probably, was sitting at his kitchen table next to his boyfriend and having a stare down with Ladybug. Ladybug! Sitting! At! His! Kitchen! Table! Not that the small area off to the side of his tiny apartment kitchen was that impressive to begin with. The table was cosy, just big enough for two people to be comfortable. There were only four chairs because they had come as a set with the table and Nathaniel had just never bothered getting rid of them, despite that being three chairs too many. His father was a busy CEO of a weapons development conglomerate and spent most of the year overseas on business, preferring to stay at a hotel rather than with his son when he was in Paris. Nathaniel’s mother had passed from cancer when he was ten, so he essentially lived alone. Up until last year he had lived in a slightly bigger apartment with a live-in nanny, but at sixteen his father had decided he was old enough to take care of himself and happily cut costs by firing the nanny and moving Nathaniel into his current one bedroom apartment. Fully aware that this was not the most legal of situations, the red head fervently hoped Ladybug would be more concerned with the Sentimonster giving her attitude than reporting his dad to child protective services. 

Said Sentimonster, Penknight, had shown up on his fifth floor balcony and let himself in with a huff, Ladybug not far behind him. Penknight had promptly swept Marc, who blushed a little too much for Nathaniel’s jealousy, into his arms and kissed the top of his head. Ladybug was lecturing him on being out in public and returning to Paon’s side instead, which sounded like it had been going on for a while. Penknight pointedly ignored her until Nathaniel offered her refreshments in a pause in the ranting. Now the two were sitting at his table, untouched glasses of water beside them, battling with silent wills instead of words. Marc just looked bewildered at the entire thing. Nathaniel was honestly feeling the same. 

“Penknight.” Ladybug ground out after a time. “You  _ cannot _ just wander about as you please. Especially after what that new Hawkmoth did. You’re a well known akuma, you’ll send people into a panic!” Which would give the Office of Akuma Affairs even more ammo in their growing anti-hero platform, she left unsaid. She didn’t need to. Both Marc and Nathaniel were intimately aware of the OAA’s propaganda, being frequent targets themselves. 

“This new Hawkmoth is EXACTLY why I should be here, and not hiding away with Paon!” Penknight slammed a fist on the table, causing the two other boys to jump. “You saw what she did! You think I’m going to leave Marc unprotected with a literal super powered murderer running about? What if she decides  _ anyone _ with a connection to the old Hawkmoth needs to go?” Ladybug paled at that, and so did Nathaniel. Ladybug swallowed and composed herself.

“All the more reason to be with Paon right now. She’s just lost her husband and is in no shape to defend herself. Both her and her son are in danger and as much as I hate to admit it, you are a tricky foe to defeat.” Penknight wasn’t swayed an inch by her flattery. 

“Paon and Adrien have that huge bodyguard who can use the Peacock if he needs to. Marc has nobody.” Thanks for your concern, Nathaniel thought dryly. “If you’re so worried about her, why are you here instead of there?” Penknight crossed his arms, leaning back in his chair.

“Because SOMEONE has to keep an eye on you! You destroyed several city blocks last time you were left unattended!” 

“That was only after that fox bitch stole Marc from me, which as I hear it isn’t possible right now with her being on life support. That someone should cut.” He muttered the last part under his breath, but Ladybug heard it anyway.

“See? That’s exactly what I’m talking about. I don’t need to wake up tomorrow to the headline of Lila Rossi being murdered in her sleep by a rampaging Aku-Sentimonster!” She corrected.

“Why not.” Penknight grumbled sulkily. 

“BECAUSE MURDER IS WRONG!” Ladybug exploded. Marc shrank back at her outburst, and Penknight growled, actually  _ growled _ at her. 

“Look um, L-Ladybug? Penknight can stay here if he wants. It’s not any trouble.” Nathaniel hesitantly offered in the tense silence that followed.

“That’s not the issue here.” Ladybug dragged her hand over her face with a sigh. “The issue is Penknight is a loose cannon who only cares about his own agenda, and doesn’t stop to think about the people who might get hurt along the way. I’m also pretty sure he would follow Marc home before he stayed here, which would be awkward to explain to his parents…” The boy in question winced. 

“My parents are overseas on business right now. It’s my older sister we would have to worry about, and she barely tolerates Nath.” Blemir Anciel was eighteen going on thirty. Mature and serious for her age, she looked after her younger brother while their parents were away and their eldest sibling gone for college most of the year. Nathaniel cringed at the memory of her chasing him out of the house with a broom after she had walked in on him and Marc making out on his bed. From then on the red headed boy was allowed no farther than the living room, and the pair were strictly supervised the entire time. The only reason Marc was allowed anywhere near Nathaniel’s apartment was because they hadn’t told her he lived alone. 

“I’m not scared of your sister.” Penknight said, stroking Marc’s hair fondly. “It would take more than a broom to chase  _ me _ off.” Wait a second.

“How do you even know about that?” Nathaniel asked, “That happened after Hawkmoth was defeated, and you didn’t come from me this time...how would you have my memories?” Penknight rolled his eyes.

“Magic, dummy.”

“ _ Back on topic _ ,” Ladybug interjected, “You can’t stay here. You need to come back to the Agreste mansion with me.”

“No.”

“That wasn’t a request.”

“That wasn’t a negotiation.” 

“This isn’t- Ugh!” Ladybug exclaimed, standing up and pacing the small area. “I do not have the manpower to assign you a babysitter right now!”

“Then don’t. I’m a big boy. This is only an issue because you’re making it one.” Penknight shot back.

“Except when you stab an OAA member for harassing Marc, it does become my problem.”

“Maybe you should just let me stab them. Can’t be a problem if they’re all dead.” Ladybug looked like she was going to strangle him for that comment.

“Um, Penknight?” Marc laid a hand on his arm. “Maybe you should go with Ladybug? Just for now? She might trust you more if you comply…” Penknight hesitated, and Ladybug looked like a lightbulb went off in her head.

“That’s it, Marc! You have his Amokatized object right? You can control him!  _ Please  _ tell him to stop being stubborn and come with me.” Penknight looked stricken, and Marc flinched.

“I can’t- I won’t order him around like that! That would be like taking away his free will!” Ladybug rocked back like the words had physical force. She was silent for a moment before replying.

“You’re not taking away his free will. Just...making him do something he doesn’t want to? Ugh, it doesn’t sound any better when I say it like that.” She rubbed her forehead. “Penknight, sometimes we have to do things we don’t want because they’re the right thing to do.”

“The ‘right thing to do’ for me is different from the right thing for you, Ladybug.” Penknight said firmly. “The right thing for  _ me _ to do is to stay with the person I was literally brought into being to protect.” Marc blushed slightly at that while Ladybug looked thoughtful. Nathaniel just had a sinking feeling in his stomach. Penknight looked so cool when he said that, how was Nathaniel supposed to compare?

“Listen. My place is here, and yours is with  _ your  _ boyfriend. I know you’re trying to be responsible Marinette but I don’t need looking after.” Nathaniel opened his mouth to tell Penknight exactly what he thought of the other man implying that Marc was  _ his _ boyfriend, roundabout as it was, when the last part of that sentence caught up with him. 

“MARINETTE?!” He and Marc exclaimed at the same time. 

“Penknight!” She cried out. 

“What? Chloe can know but they can’t?” The knight huffed.

“Chloe is a miraculous holder!” Ladybug (Marinette?!) exclaimed.

“So was Marc, for a little bit. By your own rules you can’t even let Chloe have her miraculous again because everyone knows who she is. Hell, that goes for pretty much your entire team. If who knows what Gabriel told the new Hawkmoth before...you know.” He mimed drawing a line over his neck. Ladybug looked stricken, and then pensive. 

“Gabriel is….was...a strong willed man. He wouldn’t have helped her. We are worried though…” Ladybug sighed and sat back down at the table. “I guess you should know since it looks like you’re getting wrapped up in this. We suspect Lila stole the butterfly miraculous before her accident.” 

“What, how?” Marc asked, getting over his shock just a hair sooner than Nathaniel at learning that  _ Marinette _ was Ladybug. Which honestly made sense now that he thought about it. Marinette was sweet, and kind, and amazing and- oh. Maybe he shouldn’t let his thoughts wander like that when important exposition was being dumped.

“She came to my room when I wasn’t there the day of the accident. The next day I noticed the butterfly was missing from the miracle box. We of course searched her belongings extensively after, but we could never find it. Now a new,  _ female _ Hawkmoth with a personal grudge against me shows up? That can’t be coincidence. Not with the Miraculous involved.” Ladybug just looked...tired.

“If it is Lila, that’s even more reason for me to stay with Marc. She hates him maybe more than she hates you.” Penknight pointed out. Ladybug folded her hands in front of her.

“Except Lila is currently in a coma in an intensive care ward, monitored around the clock by staff, security, and cameras. If it is her, we have no idea how she’s doing this.”

“Could she have akumatized someone and used their power to make a body double?” Marc asked. 

“She might have, but I’ve cast the miraculous cure more than once since she’s been in her coma. That would have revealed any trickery for sure by now.” Ladybug looked pensive. “There’s just too many unknown variables…and my entire team is compromised. That wasn’t a problem with Hawkmoth gone, but now that the threat has resumed...maybe I need to build a new team. If this new person is being influenced by Lila in any way, I can’t let you have the goat miraculous again, Marc but…” She trailed off looking thoughtful. 

“What about you, Nathaniel? Think you have what it takes to be a miraculous holder?” Nathaniel felt his mental processes grind to a halt. 

“Me?!” He exclaimed. Ladybug laughed slightly at his outburst. 

“Don’t say yes or no right now, but please think about it. It would make me feel better if there was a miraculous holder keeping an eye on Penknight, and seeing as you’re the person who will probably be around him most besides Marc, you’re a good bet.”

“No he’s not. He’ll fuck it up and probably lose the thing within a week.” Penknight sneered. Nathaniel wilted into his chair. The Sentimonster was right, he always screwed up when it really counted. Marc wasn’t having any of that though. He stood from his chair and walked around the table to put his hands on Nathaniel’s shoulders, pointedly glaring at Penknight.

“Nathaniel would make a fantastic hero.” Marc said firmly, leaving no room for argument. Penknight looked like he swallowed a lemon, not wanting to argue with Marc but also clearly not accepting that statement. 

“Wielding a miraculous is definitely a learning curve.” Ladybug admitted. “But if the clumsiest, most awkward mess up in class can do it I think Nathaniel will be fine.” She said with a slight chuckle. 

“You’re not awkward!” Nathaniel said, realizing she was talking about herself.

“You’re awkward.” Marc mumbled, bapping him on the head slightly for how fast he was to come to her defense. Ok so maybe that crush on Marinette wasn’t one hundred percent gone. Maybe Marc knew. Maybe Marc was the most wonderful and understanding person in the world for putting up with him anyway. At the end of the day, Nathaniel was loyal to his boyfriend and some silly grade school crush was not getting in the way of that. Some silly sentimonster that looked a little too pleased when Nathaniel got lightly scolded might though.

“Sure, my nickname is “clumsynette” because of the irony factor that I’m actually very graceful.” Ladybug continued like he hadn’t just made a fool of himself. She got to her feet with a sigh. “Fine. You’ve convinced me. Penknight can stay for now, but if I hear even a hint of him making trouble I’m going to ask you to give me his amokitized object so I can give it to Paon.”

“What, you’re not just going to break it and purify me?” Ladybug looked really sad for a moment, as if recalling an unpleasant memory. 

“I would  _ never _ do that if I had a choice. Most Sentimonsters are just rouge collections of feelings and desire, with no real intelligent thought. Ones like you and...well, ones like you are  _ alive _ Penknight. The way I see it, removing your amok is the same as murder.” Ladybug walked to the balcony door. “I will be checking in on you guys for an update tomorrow at the latest. Try to stay out of trouble.” And then with a toss of her yoyo, she was gone. The three remaining occupants of the tiny apartment exchanged glances. Marc sighed and wrapped his arms around Nathaniel’s shoulders, resting his chin on the top of the seated boy’s head.

“My sister is not going to be pleased about this.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Blemir Anciel was created by https://bloodwebcircus.tumblr.com/post/611252715628249088 in our Nathamrc Dicord, https://discord.gg/jC2j5SU !


	4. Chapter four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Taking a break from Marc and Nathaniel to see how the Agrestes are holding up. They'll be back next chapter!
> 
> The more massive a star, the shorter its lifespan. A very massive star may live only tens of millions of years, while a cool dwarf will shine on for billions of years. At an age of about 4.5 billion years, our Sun is considered middle-aged

Ladybug mentally groaned as she swung around the corner to see the press outside of the Agreste mansion gates. While this was to be expected, it would be nice if they could give the family more than an hour or so to grieve before swarming. Landing on the pillars supporting the front gates she surveyed the crowd, who became excited at her appearance, thinking she should go ahead and get this out of the way before Adrien or Emile had to deal with them. Standing at the head of the crowd preaching to the cameras was...sigh. 

“Mr. Berger. Shouldn’t you be in post processing still from your court verdict?” Ladybug asked from her perch on the gate. No way she was going down to their level to get clawed at.

“Ladybug.” Sneered Berger. “Back from setting up your next plot? Or were you just paying off your latest actors?” The Office of Akuma Affairs (OAA for short) stubbornly claimed that all akuma attacks were done by paid actors, paid for by the city’s heroes as publicity stunts. They also ardently ignored the fact that their own leader had been akumatized at one point, something Berger himself denied ever happening.

“Mr. Berger, please. The Agreste family would like some peace to grieve before you start throwing conspiracy theories at them again.” Behind the man, the crowded had gone silent, cameras and reporters eagerly watching the exchange. 

“Conspiracy theories? I think you mean exposing the truth. After all, are we supposed to believe that little stunt earlier was real? That some woman just, what, walked into a maximum security prison with an elaborate costume on and killed two prisoners without anyone noticing?” Berger folded his arms smugly, looking condescending. 

Turning to the cameras, Ladybug addressed the press “We’re still uncertain to the extent of what happened at the prison today. Any information will go through the police before it reaches my team.”

“Ladybug!” A reporter cut in “What do you have to say about this new Hawkmoth?” 

Berger opened his mouth to giver his own two cents but Ladybug cut him off “The appearance of this new Hawkmoth is as shocking to us as it is to you. I know that her more….aggressive approach has frightened many of you but I promise that my team and I will-”

“Aggressive?!” Berger interjected. “She beheaded two people on public television! Think of how many children were watching, now permanently traumatized by what they saw! When are you people going to take real responsibility for these attacks and how they affect the public?” The man screamed, waving his hands theatrically. Ladybug squared her shoulders to fire back at him, when the doors of the mansion swung open. 

Emile Agreste, Dusuu zipping around her head in concern, stepped onto the walk and made her way to the gate. She looked pale and drawn, grim. Samson followed a step behind her, looking just as grim but more intimidating. Ladybug jumped down from the gate to meet her.

“Mrs. Agreste-” Emile held up a hand for silence as she continued to approach the gate.

“You ask when we will take responsibility for how Hawkmoth has affected this city? Mr. Berger, I have tried to do nothing but ever since my revival. I thought that as Paon, I could give back to the city where my husband has taken so much. And in thanks, that city has taken my husband from me. From my son.”

“This city hasn’t done anything to you-” Emile cut the man off.

“This city.” She said firmly “Has done nothing but hound and harass my family for MONTHS. We are only two weeks into  _ this _ month and already I have had to call the police to deal with armed trespassers on my property twelve times.  _ Twelve  _ Mr. Berger. Last month it was more than sixty times. You and your group especially have hounded me, my son, and anyone even vaguely connected to us for  _ months _ . I fear for his safety Mr. Berger. I may be a superhero but I am a mother first. Ladybug,” She said grimly, turning to face the heroine, “My public connection to you and the miraculous has brought nothing but ruin to my family. I thank you for all your support, but I am here and now resigning from my role as the holder of the Peacock Miraculous.” Emile unpinned the brooch from her shirt and placed it into the hands of a stunned Ladybug. 

“I think it would be better if me or my son were never seen with you again,  _ Ladybug _ .” Emile stressed. With that she turned her back on the now calmoring reporters and returned to her home. The muffled ‘thud’ of the doors closing echoed in Ladybug’s head as she stared at the miraculous in her hand. 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_ Ladybug _ might have been banned from the Agreste mansion, but  _ Marinette _ hoped she had read Emilie’s tone correctly that her civilian self was still welcome. Swinging a few blocks away, she had found an out of the way sewer entrance and detransformed. Emilie had thought it wise to keep the subterranean room she had been held in secret from the public, as it provided another entrance into the house that was easy to exploit. When superhero fans and hate groups alike had promptly proceeded to spend nearly every waking (and some they should have been sleeping) hour harassing the Agrestes after Gabriel’s arrest and Emilie coming out to the public as Paon, that turned out to be a wise decision. The secret entrance was an easy way for those in the know to drop by without being harassed by fans or the media. People like Adrien’s girlfriend. Or his boyfriend.

Approaching the secure door that led into the Agreste property, Marinette spotted Luka pacing nervously in front of it. 

“Luka!” She said, jogging the last few steps. 

“Marinette. Hey.” He said, looking uncertain. Warning flags immediately went off. Luka was almost never indecisive. 

“What’s wrong?” Marinetted asked, taking his hands. 

“Shouldn’t I be asking you that?” He chuckled slightly. “Or at least if you’re okay. I saw...well, I think all of Paris did.” 

“So you rushed over to see Adrien?”

“Without a thought. Now I’m having second ones. What if he wants to be alone right now? I mean, his  _ father  _ just died and I saw that circus outside the gates. He probably just wants some quiet right now.” Luka stroked the back of Marinette’s hand with his thumb, thinking.

“We left him with Chloe, he’s probably not getting much quiet right now anyway.” Tiki giggled slightly, flying out of Marinette’s purse where she had been consoling a dejected Dusu. The blue kwami trailed after her, his usual zip subdued.

“Hey Tiki...and Dusu? What’s he doing with you, Marinette?” Luke questioned. 

“You said you saw the media outside. Guessing you didn’t stay around long enough to hear me, Ladybug, address them.” Luka shook his head, looking worried. Marinette continued on with a sigh. “That idiot Berger was there stirring the pot, and I guess the broadcast was live because near the end Emilie came out and gave him a piece of her mind. Then she publically resigned as Paon.” She laid her head against Luka’s chest as he hugged her, feeling some of her stress melt away. Some of it.

“Hey. You, me, Adrien. Spa day.” Luka murmured into her hair, stroking her back. Marinette laughed dryly. 

“I think we’ll have to invite Marc and Nathaniel this time. They’ve got a bigger headache to deal with than me for once. Though he’s kind of my headache too…” Luka gave her a quizzical look. “Penknight is back. In the akuma battle Paon tried to make a Sentimonster ally and got him instead.” When Luka’s face scrunched up in distaste, Marinette had to laugh.

“Oh come on. He’s not  _ that _ bad.” She giggled, feeling even more stress flow away. Luka was good at that.

“Penknight is that bad. If he’s the same as he was last time, someone needs to put him over their knee and spank him, and not in a sexy way.” Luka grumbled. Marinette held her stomach, trying to fight the giggles at that mental image.

“He is a bit of a brat, isn’t he?” She said, trying to control her breathing.

“Say that after you have to babysit him for twelve hours straight. His devotion to Marc was adorable, but he treated everyone else like un-favored playmates that kept trying to steal his favorite toy. Speaking of babysitting, please tell me someone is watching him right now?” Luka said, looking like he hoped that person wouldn’t end up being him.

“Marc, and technically Nathaniel, are keeping an eye on him. We had some...words, to put it lightly that made me think. Marc has his amok and can wrangle him if he gets unruly. Hopefully. Why did I leave him alone again?” Marinette groaned into her hands.

“Because Adrien and Emilie need you right now.” Tiki gently reminded her. “They’ll be happy to see you both, I’m sure.” 

“I don’t want to see her.” Marinette almost didn’t hear Dusu, he spoke so low.

“Dusu?” She asked.

“Things got hard and she just  _ abandoned _ me. I don’t want to see her. I don’t want to see anyone.” Dusu sniffled as Tiki lay a comforting paw on him. “My wielders all either end up dead or wishing they were, and I’m so tired of losing people. I just want to rest.” He cried, full out bawling by the end. Marinette gathered him up in her hands and hugged him to her chest as best she could. Luka layed a comforting hand over hers as the little kwami cried.

“You don’t have to see her if you don’t want to Dusu. I can leave your miraculous downstairs if you like, and when we get home I’ll put you straight in the miracle box so you can see the other kwami.” Marinette soothed.

“I think I’d like that. We’ve all been separated for so long, and I just want to  _ rest. _ ” Dusu sniffled. 

“Well...the sooner we go in, the sooner you can go home.” Luka inhaled, keying in the code to open the door. Marinette followed him inside, leaving her purse with the peacock miraculous and Dusu hanging near the elevator. Tiki decided to stay with him and watch the miraculous. Bracing for more tears, Marinette and Luka headed upstairs.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chloe thought she was being remarkably patient, for her, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t relieved to see Marinette and dumpster boy when they came up. At Emilie’s urging, they were all in the sitting room. Emilie and Marinette exchanged a tense stare, before the older woman nodded subtly and the younger woman flew at Adrien with a hug. Luka followed at a more sedate pace. Emilie had turned off the TV after she had come back inside, and Chloe thought that was for the best. Her heart ached for Adrien and his mother, Emilie had honestly been more of a mother to her than her own over the years, but Chloe had always been bad at the touchy feely part. She tended to react to people being upset by putting her back up and lashing out, and she knew that isn’t what either of them needed right now. She had done her very best to be silent up until now, but that time was over.

“So what’s the plan?” Chloe asked, interjecting over the whispered conversation between the trio.

“Plan?” Marinette asked, looking stupid as usual. Chloe still had trouble believing she was actually  _ Ladybug. _

“Yes, plan! That new Hawkmoth- Hawk _ bitch _ just declared war. You cannot let that go unanswered. Miraculous holders are NOT to be messed with, and the new kid on the block needs to learn that.” Chloe said firmly. 

She had spent years watching her father handle political rivals and no matter what people thought, she HAD learned a thing or two. If someone made a threat and you rolled over, you were as good as done for. She stared firmly at the trio across from her so her eyes didn’t stray to Emilie. The younger blond absolutely thought the elder was making a huge mistake giving up her miraculous, especially when Chloe herself had had to fight tooth and nail every step of the way just to hold hers for more than a moment. She hoped that once Emilie had had some time to think, she would realize what a mistake she had made in giving away her power. If this new Hawkmoth was dead set on attacking them, someone without a miraculous would be as good as defenseless against her.

“Chloe, there’s nothing we can do at this point. All we can do is wait for her next akuma and go from there. Not that that matters. We won't defeat her for several years, if ever.” Adrien said glumly. 

“What do you mean?” Emilie asked, zeroing in on how certain he sounded.

“A hero from the future visited us once. Bunnix. Hawkmoth was still active in her time, and that was at least three years from now. I thought maybe history had changed somehow when we...defeated Father, but of course it can’t be that easy.” Adrien delivered in a monotone, resting his head on Luka’s chest while Marinette stroked his hair. 

“Who knows, kid? The future isn’t as set in stone as people like to believe. If you’ve ever heard Fluff go off an a tangent, which I do NOT recommend by the way, you’d hear about how something as tiny as deciding to wear a green sock instead of a blue sock can spawn hundreds of different alternate realities that can be so alike you wouldn’t notice if you accidentally fell into one, or so different the world has ended or something. Just because of socks!” Plagg cried buzzing around in distress. “Cheese is so much more simple than time!”

“Plagg is right. I told you about the future Bunnix took me to with Chat Blanc. The only thing I changed here to prevent that was not signing my name on your present.” Marinette chimed in. “We haven’t heard from Bunnix in quite some time. We have no way of knowing if her future is going to be ours anymore. Heck, if we really wanted to be sure I could just never give her her miraculous.”

“Wouldn’t work baby bug. Miraculous are funny like that. Fu shoulda told you some of this stuff, but every generation that we’re active in, the miraculous inevitably find their way to the best person to wield them.” Plagg shook his head, crossing his arms.

“What about me?” Chloe asked. “I found my miraculous by accident.”

“There are no accidents when the miraculous are involved. It’s why they’re  _ miraculous _ and not just...magic rocks.” Plagg said.

“No coincidences...like the first Sentimonster Paon made when akuma attacks started again being Penknight, and not just one of the blob looking ones?” Luka asked thoughtfully. Plagg shrugged.

“That would be more Dusu’s department, but from what I hear? One’s that can pass for people and think for themselves are  _ really _ rare. I’m shocked you’ve seen two of them in one lifetime.” Plagg said.

“Two?” Emilie asked. “And you have both had dealings with time travel? When was all this?” She asked, looking overwhelmed. 

“Nathalie made a Ladybug sentimonster when she was still Mayura. She killed her though by removing her amok.” Marinette said, looking sad.

“As for time travel, short term Luka probably has the most experience. It’s what the snake miraculous does, sends you back in time five minutes. The rabbit can go as far as the wielder wants though.” Adrien explained while Emilie rubbed her temples. 

“Why haven’t I ever heard of any of this?” She asked.

“Honestly mom? You never asked. We went through tons of crazy stuff before you were revived due to akumas.” 

“And you’re going to go through all that again?” Emilie asked, a stubborn look forming on her face.

“Adrien is the best cat for the job, and if you take it away from him you might be dooming all of Paris.” Plagg cut in, uncharacteristically serious. 

“...We may have to do that anyway.” Marinette said softly. “Too many people know our identities. I don’t want to just dump this job on someone else but…” She sighed.

“But nothing! Our friends won't tell anyone!” Adrien argued.

“And if they get akumatized?” Marinette calmly shot back. There was a stretch of uncomfortable silence.

“Oh for heaven's sake! You’re both over thinking this! Plagg JUST said there were no coincidences with the Miraculous. It’s fate or something right?” The destruction kwami made an ‘eh’ motion, and Chloe ploughed on. “If you’re still meant to be Ladybug and Chatnoir no one will find out who you are. The miraculous won’t let them.”

“Chloe it’s not that simple-”

“Could be.” Plagg said, lazily floating on his back. “or you could just erase everyone’s memories of you being Ladybug and Chatnoir.”

“What?!” The entire room, except Samson who was silently watching the exchange, shouted.

“Yesh, don’t yell! My ears are delicate.” Plagg simpered. “The miraculous cure works by fixing what YOU think is wrong.” he waved a paw at Marinette “So if you think it’s wrong for your friends to know your secret identities, they won't. Wouldn’t be the first time you brain blasted them with the cure. Heck, you’ve blasted yourself a few times.” Marinette looked conflicted.

“It can’t be that easy, and is that even morally sound? Altering their memories without their permission?” She worried.

“You should do it.” Emilie said. “Erase my memory too. It’s safer if no one knows but you two.” Emilie’s eyes strayed to Luka.

“I understand.” He told her, over Adrien and Marinette’s protests. “I knew both your identities from the first day you gave me the snake miraculous, but I was also never akumatized again. If this is the best way to keep you both safe…” He trailed off.

“No.” Marinette said firmly. “I won’t lie to my partner, either of you, ever again. Master Fu forced Adrien and I to hide our identities for so long, and it caused so many problems between us...I won’t do that to you, Luka.” Adrien echoed her thoughts.

“But you should do it to me, and your friends.” Emilie cut in. 

“Ugh. Utterly ridiculous that I have to let you mess with my head. But,” Chloe sighed dramatically “Anything for Adrikins. Just know that I am not responsible for any schemes I come up with to break you up with him after I forget you’re Ladybug.”

Marinette and Adiren exchanged looks, having a silent conversation. In the end Marinette hung her head and sighed.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Damn Ladybugs.” Penknight growled, swatting at the magical swarm as they tried to approach where he, Marc, and Nathaniel were stiffly sitting on the Anciel’s couch halfway across the city. Sitting across from them in the lounge chair was their biggest obstacle yet: Marc’s overprotective, older sister.


	5. Hiatus

So this was put aside to work on "Waiter, There's Too Much Salt on My Fries!". That fic is now done. We said we weren't doing a sequel. We lied lol. Inspiration struck, so this one is on hold until THAT is done. Sorry guys! You'll have to get your Nathmarc drama in the new fic.


End file.
